Calf feeding device



Patented Aug. 19, `1952 VHCALI"l DEVICE' Jonathanslliappee, "Chicago,` Ill., assigner' to .Y

.Armour and Company, Chicago, l ll., a corpora-.

' 9.11. efflllinis i f Application February 1 claims. (o1.'119' -71) This invention relates `to apparatus for feeding milk. or semifliquid food supplements to calves or other young animals.

In the feeding .of various it is ,elle

tremely` important that, the liquid. bestirred in order -to keep rthe materials inthe liquid formly suspendedv in eachportion of .the liquid being fed. It is desirableto stir thecontents ,of the container while the calf, etc., is feeding, rbut this operation if by hand requires too much time and limits the effective feeding simultaneously of a large number of calves, etc.v v

There haslong been a need of lmeans which could be operated automatically or through the feeding movements of the calf, etc., for bringing about the stirring of the contents of the container. Y y

' An object of the invention is to provide a .container and feeding device Aassociatedtherewith for effectively feeding the materialvto the calf while producing counter-movementsof the liquid to stir the contents lof the container during the feeding operation. A further object is to provide an improved containervand feed apparatus accomplishing the above and other results. A still furtherobject is to providea calf-feeding device of simple and novel construction having the advantages and newv resultsdwhich will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The invention is shown .in illustrative embodiments by. the accompanying draw-ing, inwhich: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container and feeding device embodyingv my invention; Fig. 2, a broken enlarged vertical sectional view; Fig. 3, a top plan view ofthe valve member which 8, 1950,'Seral N0. 145,021

may be employed; Fig. 4, a view similar toFig. 2

but showing a modified form of the invention; Fig. 5, a top plan view of the valve member employed in the structure shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, an exploded perspective view of the parts of the valve shown in Fig. 4, the parts being shown in separated relation.

In the illustration given I0 designates a container which may be of any suitable shape or type. I prefer to employ an elliptically-shaped pail, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to the bottom of which is attached a resilient or flexible teat II for delivery of the liquid food to the calf, etc. The bottom portion of the container I0 is preferably provided with an annular recessed portion l2 receiving the bead I3 of the teat I I.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the bead I3 of the teat is provided with a laterally-extending groove or recess I4 adapted to receive the valve member I5. In the specific illustration given, the valve I5 consists of a rubber disk I6 havinga slit therein formed at a bias, as indicated at I8 in-Fig. 2.Y The slit forms a valve tongue I1, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and at the end of the slit are the two apertures Ifk If desired, the resilient member I6 may beprovided with a metal border or frame I9, which extends around the edge thereof While the rubberor resilient teat I'I may be y of any suitable shape, I prefer the shape shown in which the centerof the teatis curved so as to have a 30 to 45 angle about in the center of the nipple. The lower end of the teat is provided with a discharge port 20.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to 6 in5- clusive, the container I0 is the same and the recess I2 thereof receives the bead 2l of a teat or nipple 22. The bead 2| is recessed to receive a valve plate 23. The valve plate 23, as shown best in Fig. 6, is provided vwith the pin openings 24 and with the small liquid passages 25.V A valve disk 26 is slidably mounted upon thepins 21,'as shown in Fig. 4, and the disk when in upper position seals the central flow passage 28 of the plate 23. However, the disk 26 does not seal the small flow passages `25.- y

` Operation.

In the operation of the structure' shown in Fi-gs.r 1 to 3, inclusive, the calf, etc.,v applies pressure with its mouth to the teat I'I, forcing liquid Within the teat outwardly through the outlet 20 into the calffs mouth; At the same time thereis exerted an upward' pressure of the liquid against 4the valve I'I, but the valve d oes not permit the .liquid to flow b ack'intoj-the container Ioy reason ofthe bias line I8,`as illustratedat Fig. 2.'. However, the two' small openings I8a do permit a small jet of the milk or other liquid to be forced back into the pail so as to churn the contents of the pail. Thus in every contraction or collapsing of the teat, there are small jets of the liquid at spaced points directed back into the contents of the pail to stir and to keep the contents of the pail uniformly mixed.

In the illustration given in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, the collapsing of the nipple forces liquid upwardly, causing the disk 26 to rise against the valve plate 23 and to seal the central opening 28 thereof. However, the small-passages 25, as shown in Fig. 5, are not sealed by the disk 26, and jets of liquid pass upwardly through these passages and into the body of the liquid within the pail. By closing off the main passage 28, the pressure of the liquid is utilized to its highest 3 extent as a stirring agent, because the jets passing through the small passages 25 are impinged upon the liquid body under relatively heavy pressure, and bring about an eective mixing of the contents. Such small openings which give 5 rise to these jets, however, do not interfere with the ilow of the main body of the milk or other liquid Within the Vteat intothe mouth of the calf, etc.

If desired, the container l0 may be equippedgl()v with a supporting bracketV 30 so that the con tainer may be supported upon a rail or other support for the feeding of the calves and without requiring the presence of the operator.Y The specific structure shown represents a preferred :15

apparatus, but the details of construction, shape,

size, material, etc., may be varied as desired,

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth two'particular structures in considerablev` detail for the purpose of illustrating embodi- 20 ments of the invention, it will be understood that such details of structure may be variedwidely Yby those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of my invention. i

Iclairna-n 7. Y, l. In aliquid feeding device comprising a con- Y tainer and a VresilientY teat securedr thereto,-a

valve plate interposed between the top of the teat and the contents of the container, said plate havvwall having an opening therethrough and having -small openings spaced laterally of said first-mentioned opening, and a check valve controlling 4'said main openingand permitting the flow of `liquid from A`said'container into the teat, but preventingback'fiowof liquid into said container from said teat when'said teat is compressed.

5. A resilient teat adapted to be secured to the outlet portion of a pail, and comprising a resilient teat body bent near its central portion at an angle of'vabout 30",? to"45,; and providedl at its bottom with an outlet opening, a .closuremember in the upper end of said teat and fprovided withv a main passage therethrough -andfwith smaller spaced passages laterally 'of'said'vmain v01; ening,and a check valvevcontrolling'said main. opening: and

permitting thencw ofliquid from said container ing a main passage therethrough, a movable valve 3i) permitting theV flow of liquid from the' container into the teat, but sealing to prevent How-from the teat into lthe container when the teat is compressed, said valve plate having at least one small v openingtherethrough to pass a jet of liquid from 35 the teat back into the container to agitata the contents thereof when the teat is compressed.

A2.,'In a liquid feeding structure comprising a container' and-'resilient teat securedthereto, a

valve member between the upper portion of said 40 teat and ,said container, saidvalve member having av main'passagetherethrough and spaced jet passages, and a valve eiective upon the collapsing of the teat for closing said main passage yto prevent the flow'of liquid back into the container while leaving unclosed said jet passages.

3. In a liquid feeding apparatus, a container having an ,outlet in its bottom, a teat secured toY said container and communicating with said outlet, said teat having an opening in the lower end thereof, and a valve member in the vupper end thereof, saidvalve member consistingof 'a closure provided with a centralv opening `and spaced lateral openings, said main opening being largery thansaid lateral openings, a Valve c'on'- trolling said main opening to provide back flow ofrliqudlnto the container when said teat is into said teat, but preventing back flow of liquid from said teat into said container when the teat is compressed. Y

6. A resilient teat adapted t'ovbe secured'to the outlet portion of a pail,` and comprising a resilient teat body provided at itsiclosed end with .a slit and at its upper Iend'with a ilange adapted'for attachment to the pail, a plate closing the upper end of said teat and provided with a large opening therethrough and with a small opening disposed laterally of said large opening, anda check valve controlling said large opening only, said lateral opening remaining open the position-of said valve. Y Y Y Y JONATHAN SHAPPEE.

irrespective of vRIEFERENons* CITED The following references arerofrecord in the file of*thisfpatentrfV 'l Y fUNlT'El-J STATESPATENTS Number Name,- vDate I l670,823 Swope Mar. '26, 1901 2,190,420 j Frederick et al. Feb. 13, 1940 52,350,215 Christensen May"30, 1944 VEorniIGN PATENTS Number Y f Country f .Datei-xl7 l 220,075 j Great Britain ;.--s Aug.A 11, 1924 

